About this item

Issue date:
29 April 2025
Status:
Current
Corporate Author:
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
Type:
Quarterly report
Topic:
Death and dying

Overview

Between 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2025, the service received 237 applications for assisted dying.

There were also 87 applications active that had been initiated before this quarterly reporting period.

Attending medical practitioners (AMPs) completed 237 assessments and independent medical practitioners (IMPs) completed 202 assessments. Psychiatrists also completed some assessments (numbers withheld due to low numbers) in this period.

In total, 162 applications were confirmed as eligible.

AMPs facilitated 107 assisted deaths during this quarter.

Of the applications reviewed during this period, 83 were still in progress as of 31/03/2025.

During this quarter, 92 applications did not proceed to an assisted death due to:

  • the application being found to not comply with The End of Life Choice Act 2019
  • the applicant withdrawing their application
  • the applicant is found non-eligible or not competent to give consent at, or following, assessment 
  • the applicant dying due to underlying conditions.

Of the 237 applications received during this quarter:

  • 78.2% were Pākehā
  • 5.3% were Māori
  • 51.1% were Female/Wāhine; 48.9% were Male/Tāne
  • 81.9% were aged 65 years or older
  • 85.2 % were receiving palliative care at the time of the application
  • 62.0% had a diagnosis of cancer
Pātiki and Waharua Kōpito patterns

Assisted Dying Service

Find out about the Assisted dying service data and reporting